US Forest Service chief faces conflict-of-interest scrutiny over roadless rule rollback

US Forest Service chief Tom Schultz, a former timber lobbyist, announced plans to rescind the 25-year-old 'roadless rule' protecting old-growth forests, a move expected to benefit his former industry clients. Public Citizen research highlights potential conflicts of interest, though the rule change is not yet finalized. This signals a policy shift favoring commercial logging over conservation, with implications for environmental regulation and corporate interests.